KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) takes the views of all parties, irrespective of their races orreligions, into account when drawing up its policies, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Sunday.

    "Since the country's independence, our development policies have been highly dynamic and effective and in drafting these policies, the BN government considered the views of all parties and took the best views for implementation," Abdullah said at the opening of the general assembly of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) here.

    PPP is one of 14 component parties of BN (also called National Front), the coalition which has ruled the country since its independence in 1957.

    Abdullah, also BN chairman, said that although the government policies were drawn up for the good of everyone, "sometimes there are interpretations that we are unhappy with but this should be dealt with in a good and sensitive manner."

    He said that as the prime minister, like the other top leaders of the country before him, he made decisions on the policies in a fair manner.

    He said one of the reasons for the solid support the BN government received from the people in the March general election was that all the BN component parties did not bicker over the policies introduced by the country's leaders.

    "The people appreciate this fact. When the BN parties start to fight, we will become weak and unable to form the government," he said.

    He said the government's emphasis now was to develop the people,eradicate poverty and spread out the opportunities available in the country.

    Achieving this objective would be a bigger victory for the BN government than winning the general election, he said.

    "We not only want to win the election but more importantly, to bring development to the people of Malaysia. We need to do a lot more to achieve our vision to make Malaysia a developed country by2020," he said.

    "We cannot take things for granted. We must face the challenges with determination, fortitude and patience to develop the race andcountry," he said.

    He also said that the young generation, who would carry on the leaders' struggle to develop the nation, must understand that development could not be achieved if the spirit of consensus amongthe races was not continued.

    "They will be the decision makers of the future. It's importantfor them to equip themselves with experience, understand Malaysia's history and follow the wishes of the multiracial people of Malaysia," he said.

    Malaysia is a multi-racial country with a population of some 24 million, which consists of three major races -- the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians. Enditem